Create File List¶

Turn selected items or the current Finder folder into a shared semantic table. Copy it, export Plain Text, TSV, or CSV, or review it in a resizable report.

Access: MenuSmith Pro
Finder availability: Files & folders, Folder Background

See the Create File List overview and screenshots on the MenuSmith website.

Add and configure¶

Open Action Library and find Create File List.
Choose a starter configuration and add it to My Finder Menu.
Select the new Menu Action and review its settings and availability rules in the Inspector.
Run it from a matching Finder context.

Settings¶

Output
Ask Every Time (Export to File only): On by default. Choose a filename and location in the save panel each time. Turn this off to show Base Filename and save directly in the invoked Finder folder without a save panel. A starting name is filled in for you; enter only the base name, such as File List or files, without an extension. The file extension is added automatically.
Columns
Format: Choose Automatic, Plain Text, TSV, or CSV. For predefined exports, the selected format appends the file extension (.txt, .tsv, or .csv) to the base name. Automatic uses .txt for one column and .tsv for multiple columns. For example, Report.v2 becomes Report.v2.csv with CSV; dots within the base name are preserved.
Include Subfolders
Include Hidden Files: Off by default. Hidden files and folders, including dot-prefixed names such as .DS_Store and items marked hidden by macOS, are omitted. With Include Subfolders enabled, hidden folders are not traversed. Turn this on to include hidden items using the normal listing and recursion rules. This applies to Copy to Clipboard, Export to File, and Show Report.

Starter configurations¶

Copy File List
Copy File Details
Copy Image Details
Copy Document Details
Copy Media Details
Export File List…
Show File List Report…

Starter configurations set initial values only. Adding one does not permanently link the Menu Action to that starter.

What it can do¶

Choose curated file, document, image, audio, and video columns
Copy or export Plain Text, TSV, or CSV
Review the collected data in a resizable report
Include direct children or recursively traverse folders

Typical workflow¶

Add a starter configuration
Select Finder items or right-click a folder background
Run the Action and copy, save, or review the result

Important details¶

Reading file details requires an Authorized Folder that covers the input. Direct export also requires access to the output folder; MenuSmith may ask for folder access if it has not already been granted.
The current folder itself is not included when running on Folder Background.
With a predefined filename, a Folder Background run saves inside that folder. A single selected folder receives the file inside it; selected files or multiple folders from one location use their containing folder. For a selection spanning locations, MenuSmith uses the original Finder folder, or the first item’s parent if no Finder folder was captured.
Predefined exports never overwrite existing files. If File List.csv exists, MenuSmith saves File List 2.csv, then File List 3.csv, and so on. Existing folders with the same name also count as conflicts.
Leading and trailing whitespace is trimmed. Use a filename rather than a path: slashes, colons, control characters, and names consisting only of dots are not accepted. The filename, including its extension, must fit within 255 UTF-8 bytes.
Turn Ask Every Time back on to choose a name and location for each export. Your predefined filename is remembered for when you turn it off again. When the switch is off, Base Filename is required; clearing it does not enable Ask Every Time. Existing saved Actions retain their export choice. Copy to Clipboard and Show Report do not use these export settings; Export from an open report continues to show the save panel.

If MenuSmith asks for access, review Authorized Folders. If the Action does not appear, check Finder Integration and the Menu Action's availability rules.